Fresh Fruit and Sweet Ricotta Tart

Serves 6

Pastry

1 2/3 cups plain flour
80 g butter, chopped
1/2 cup icing sugar
50
ml milk
1 egg

Ricotta filling

250 g fresh ricotta
1/4 cup caster sugar (less if you prefer)
1/2 tsp
vanilla essence
1/4 cup thin cream
fresh fruit (frozen berries,
defrosted work well)

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Lightly grease 6 10 cm loose-bottomed tart tins.

To make pastry - process flour, butter, and sugar in food processor, or rub butter into flour using fingertips and then add sugar. Mix in milk and egg. Turn dough onto a floured board and form into a smooth ball, wrap in cling-wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
Divide pastry into 6 equal parts and roll out pastry, line the tart tins with pastry, prick bases with fork and chill for 10 mins. Line the pastry shells with baking paper and fill with pastry weights or uncooked rice. Bake for 15 minutes, remove paper and weights and bake for a further 10-15 minutes. Set aside to cool.

For the filling mix together ricotta, sugar, vanilla and cream until smooth, chill until required.

Before serving, fill each tart with ricotta filling and decorate with fresh fruit or defrosted berries.

Hot Cakes - My Way

Makes about 12 small pancakes.

4 heaped tbs self raising flour
25-30 g butter (melted and cooled)
1 tbs
sugar
1 egg
Few drops of Vanilla essence
Milk

Put flour into medium size bowl and pour melted butter into flour, stirring until mixture looks like breadcrumbs.
Add sugar, egg, vanilla essence and enough milk to make a batter (not too thin and not too thick)

Heat a non-stick frying pan or several and place a large spoonful of the mixture into the pans and cook on medium heat until golden brown and turn over to brown other side.
Keep warm until all are cooked.

Serve with fruit and yoghurt. The fruit can be cooked by adding a knob of butter to a frying pan and gently frying the fruit (peaches, apples, bananas). I add a tsp of honey to help caramel the fruit.

Banana Bread

1 3/4 cups plain flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
100 g chopped
walnuts
3 large over-ripe bananas
2 large eggs, lightly whisked
1
tsp vanilla essence
100 g butter, melted and cooled

Heat oven to 175 degrees C.

Lightly grease loaf pan and line base and 2 long sides with baking paper
Combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, brown sugar and nuts in large bowl.
In another bowl mash bananas, stir in eggs, vanilla essence and cooled melted butter.
Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined.
Put into loaf pan and bake for 3/4 - 1 hour. Cool in loaf tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling tray.

Almond Crumble with Fresh Fruit

Serves 6-8.

3/4 cup plain flour
3/4 cup caster sugar
3/4 cup blanched almonds
90 grams butter

Preheat over to 180 degrees C and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Put the flour, sugar and nuts into a food process and pulse until the nuts are coarsely chopped. Add the butter and pulse again until mixture starts to clump.
Spread in a single, thin layer on the sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring once, until golden and crispy.

When cool break into large pieces and store in an airtight container. When ready to serve break into smaller pieces and serve with fruit (I like the frozen berries, defrosted of course). Add a dollop and creme fraiche, cream or yoghurt.

Basil Pesto

1 cup fresh basil leaves
2 cloves crushed garlic
1/3 cup freshly grated
Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup pine nuts

Place in food processor and process until finely chopped.
With motor running slowly add 1/3 cup olive oil and process until it forms a smooth paste.

Store in jar in the fridge.

If you make a large quantity it can be frozen in small amounts, such as a tablespoon size blobs on a baking tray. You can use ice cube trays, but they are time-consuming to wash up!
Also if you are planning to freeze the pesto it is best to leave out the parmesan cheese at this stage and add it when you use the pesto (just a small amount to each blob when it is defrosted).

Chicken in Red Wine

Serves 4.

Oil
2 kgs chicken thigh fillets
8 small onions
500 g Swiss brown
mushrooms ((quartered if large)
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup red wine
2 tbs Dijon mustard
2 tbs chopped parsley
1 tsp cornflour and water

In a wide frying pan, heat the oil and add chicken and onions. Cook uncovered over medium heat until chicken and onions are well browned on all sides (about 20 minutes). Lift out and set aside.
Add mushrooms to pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are lightly browned. Lift out and add to chicken and onions.
Pour stock into pan, scraped browned bits free and boil over high heat until reduces to 1 cup.
Return chicken, onions, and mushrooms to pan, stir in wine and mustard. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer until meat near bone is no longer pink when slashed (about 30 minutes). Stir in parsely and return to simmering.
With a slotted spoon, lift out meat and vegetables and arrange on a serving dish. Combine cornflour and water and add to cooking juices. Bring to a boil, stirring, pour over chicken and serve.

Goes with with Potatoes Gratin

Minestrone Soup

Serves 4-6.

AS LONG AS YOU USE ALL THE VEGETABLES LISTED, EXACT QUANTITIES ARE NOT ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY

2 onions
3 carrots
3 sticks celery
250 g potatoes
2 zucchini
90 g green beans (frozen whole baby beans are good)
250 g cabbage (a must have)
1/2 cup oil
45 g butter
1 1/4 litres stock (or 1 1/4
litres water and beef stock cubes, refer to packet for number of stock cubes to
1 1/4 litres of water)
2 x 400g cans peeled dices tomatoes
310 g cannellini beans of similar(I prefer pasta to beans, such as spaghetti broken
into small pieces and rissoni)
salt, pepper

Peel and finely chop onions and carrots, string and finely chop celery, peel and dice potatoes, dice zucchini, shred cabbage.

Heat oil and butter in large pan, add onions, cook over medium heat until they are golden brown. Add carrots, cook 2 - 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, add the potatoes and celery stirring occasionally. Stir in stock, or crumbled stock cubes and water and undrained tomatoes. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 1/2 - 2 hours or until vegetables are cooked and liquid has reduced slightly. Add the zucchini and cabbage and the frozen beans. Cook for another 15 minutes then add the cannellini beans (or pasta). Season with pepper and serve with grated parmesan cheese.

Potatoes Gratin (Gratin Dauphinois)

Serves 6-8.

1 clove garlic, halved
2 1/2 tbs butter or margarine
3 tbs lemon juice
6 cups water
5 (about 1 kg) medium thin-skinned potatoes
Salt,
pepper and ground nutmeg
3/4 cup thinly sliced green onions (shallots)
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
1 1/2 cups light cream or milk
1 egg yolk

Rub a shallow baking dish liberally with garlic, then generously coat with about 1/2 tbs of the butter
In a large bowl, combine lemon juice and water. Peel potatoes if you want, cut into paper-thin slices, submerge in lemon-water until all are slices.
Drain potatoes well. Arrange about a quarter of the slices in an even layer in dish. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and nutmeg; top with a quarter of the onions and 1/2 cup of the cheese. Repeat layers 3 more times, ending with the cheese.
Heat the cream or milk to scalding, pour slowly into egg yolk, beating constantly until blended. Pour egg mixture over potatoes. Dot with remaining 2 tbs butter.
Bake uncovered, in a 180 degree oven for about 1 1/2 hours or until potatoes are fork tender.

Tuna with Spinach and Spirali Pasta

Spirali or other small pasta
8 stalks spinach
1 tin tuna
1 small
clove garlic
1/2 red pepper
small onion
oil
small red chilli
(fresh or dried)
cooked peas
grated parmesan cheese

Wash spinach and remove stalks if very big, cut finely. Chop pepper, peel onion, chop finely. Remove seeds from chilli and chop finely.
Cook pasta as per packet instructions
Heat oil in pan, add crushed garlic, pepper, onion, chilli and tuna.
Add spinach, if using stalks add them first, and after about a minute and remaining spinach.
Add cooked peas and cooked pasta. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Spicy Chickpea and Potato Pasty

Serves 4/6 as a starter

The "pasty"

Equal parts of chickpeas and mashed potatoes (I used a tin chickpeas and an
equal quantity of mashed potatoes)
1 tbs olive oil

The filling

1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1tbs olive oil
1
tsp pine nuts
1 tsp currants, soaked in water
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp
ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp kirmizi biber (its a thick
paste made from red peppers)
1 tbs tahini (I didn't use this)

Mash the chickpeas and stir in the mashed potato (or use a blender). Bind with the oil to make a smooth, pliable paste. Mould it into a ball and put aside.

Make the filling by softening the onion with the garlic in oil. Stir in the pine nuts, currants and sugar and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the spices and bind with the tahini if used.

Roll the potato and chickpea paste into a rectangle. Spread the filling down the middle (lengthwise) and fold the sides into the middle (a bit tricky but give it a go) shape it as best you can, pinching the edges together. Wrap in foil and place in the fridge for 2-3 hours or overnight. Cut into slices.

Mine, when cut into slices looked OK???, but it tasted good.

Moroccan Lamb Tagine

Serves 4.

1 kg of lamb, diced 2cm cubes (or chops)
2 1/2 tbs olive oil
175 grams butter
1 onion coarsely chopped
1 tbs finely chopped fresh ginger
1/8 tsp saffron
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
4 sprigs parsley
3 sprigs fresh coriander
1 litre meat stock
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 3 cm fingers
3 medium
tomatoes, coarsely chopped, (or 440 g tin of dices tomatoes, partly drained)
1/4 cup dark/strong honey
1/2 cup raisins or sultanas
2 medium zucchini, cut into 5 cm fingers
1 440 g tin of chickpeas, drained and washed under cold water
chopped fresh coriander for garnish

Sprinkle the meat with pepper. Using a large frying pan, heat 2 tbs of the olive oil over a medium-heat. Saute the meat a few bits at a time until well, browned - about 8 minutes per batch. Transfer to a large heavy pot/casserole, with lid.

Add 100 grms of the butter to the lamb. Over medium heat, add 2/3 of the chopped onion, the ginger, saffron 1/4 tsp of cinnamon, turmeric and nutmeg. Tear the coriander and parsley into bits and add to pot. Stir in the meat stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30-60 minutes (until the meat is soft to eat). Add the carrots and cook covered for 20 minutes.

While the meat is cooking, heat the remaining 1 tbs of oil in the frying pan and over a medium heat stir in the remaining onion and cook until golden. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 tsp of cinnamon, add the chopped tomatoes, honey raisins or sultanas. Raise heat slightly and cook until all the excess liquid has evaporated. About 15 minutes.

Stir the tomato mixture into the lamb, add the zucchini and chick peas. Heat to boiling and reduce the heat to simmer. Cook 25 minutes with lid on.

There will be a lot of liquid in the pot which, if not served with the lamb, is a great soup.

Serve with couscous or some form of rice pilau. This should have a sweet spicy taste, cinnamon, cumin seed, onion, sultanas, sunflower seeds or similar sorts of thing.

Hummus (Quick and Tasty!)

Tin of chickpeas
garlic
cumin
lemon
yoghurt

Wash chickpeas under running water to remove salt and drain well. Place chickpeas in blender or food processor with garlic, cumin, olive oil and lemon juice and blend until smooth. Adjust to own taste and stir in yoghurt.

Sumac Chicken with Persian Tomato Salad

Serves 4.

2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp sumac
2 tsp chopped thyme
Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tbs pomegranate molasses (I used grape syrup but honey would do)
4 chicken breasts
lettuce
tomatoes
cucumber
other salad vegetables that you like
1 red
onion, thinly sliced
1 long red chilli, seeds removed, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 cup mint and flat-leaf parsley
Hummus and Lebanese bread to serve

Combine garlic, sumac, thyme, lemon zest and 2 tbs molasses (honey) and salt and pepper in shallow dish. Add chicken and turn to coat. Set aside to marinate, however long you have got, several hours is fine).

Combine remaining juice, oil and molasses in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper, then whisk together.

Cut tomatoes and cucumber into small cubes. Place in bowl with washed lettuce and anything else you like in a salad, and add onion, chilli, and herbs.

Preheat barbecue or char-grill pan to medium heat. When hot add chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes each side or until cooked through.

Leave chicken to rest while you toss salad with dressing. Slice chicken and serve with salad, hummus and Lebanese bread.

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Hummus

1 tin chickpeas (400 g)
garlic (try 1 clove, you can always add more later)
1 tsp cumin seeds, crushed
olive oil to taste
juice of 1 lemon
1-2 tbs thick plain yoghurt

Wash chickpeas under running water to remove salt and drain well. Place chickpeas in blender or food processor with garlic, cumin, olive oil and lemon juice and blend until smooth. Adjust to own taste and stir in yoghurt.)

Laksa (soup)

Serves 4

200 g dried rice vermicelli (noodles)
oil
2-3 tablespoons laksa paste
1 litre vegetable stock
750 mil coconut milk
250 g snow peas, halved diagonally
Vegetables which are cooked, or cook quickly can be added if you wish
5 spring onion, cut into 3 cm lengths
2 tbs lime juice
200 g tofu, or cooked chicken
125 g bean sprouts
3 tbs roughly chopped Vietnamese mint (optional)
2/4 cup fresh coriander leaves

Place the vermicelli or rice noodles in a large bowl and cover with boiling water and soak for 5 minutes.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the laksa paste and cook, stirring, over medium heat for 1 minutes, or until fragrant. Add the stock, coconut milk, snow peas and spring onion, simmer for 5 minutes Pour in the lime juice and season to taste with freshly ground black pepper.

Divide the vermicelli or rice noodles among four bowls. Top with bean sprouts, tofu or chicken and vegetables. Ladle the hot soup into the serving bowls and sprinkle with the fresh coriander and Vietnamese mint.

Thai Salad (Saxonqueen's version)

Serves 4-6

270 ml coconut milk
2 tbs fish sauce
juice of 1 lime
2 tbs palm sugar
4 shallots or red onion
4 kaffir lime leaves (if dry soak in boiling water), and chop finely
1 stalk lemon grass (I use 1 tbs of lemon grass from jar)
1 tsp chopped fresh ginger
1 large red chill (go easy here)
2 spring onion, finely sliced
10-12 mint leaves, torn
Lettuce (optional)

In a small saucepan, heat the coconut milk, fish sauce, lime juice and palm sugar. (I put the chopped chilli in as well, I find I can control the spicyness better)

Stir until all the sugar has dissolved and remove from heat. (Adjust the flavours, it should be a balance of salty, tart, and sweet, and if you have added the chilli, spicy - to your taste).

In a large bowl make a salad of cooked and raw vegetables and add shallots or onion, chopped kaffir lime leaves, lemon grass, ginger and chilli (if you didn't put it in the coconut milk) spring onions and mint leaves.

Pour some of the coconut dressing over the salad and garnish with coriander.

To make it into Chicken Thai Salad

Rub chicken breasts with garlic and soy sauce and 1 tbs of oil and leave to marinate for 1-2 hours. Grill or pan-fry for 3-4 minutes or until cooked. Set aside to cool, then slice into strips and serve with the salad.

I serve the salad with a good quality tinned tuna with some of the coconut dressing spooned over.

Indian Chickpea Stew

Serves 6

1 tin chickpeas (washed)
2 tsp garam masala
2tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tbs grated fresh ginger (or finely chopped)
1 can diced tomatoes
3/4 cup vegetable stock
2 cups chooped spinach
2 tbs chopped coriander leaves

Dry fry the garam masala, ground cumin and coriander in frying pan over medium heat for 1 minute.

Heat the oil in large saucepan, add the fried spices, onion, garlic, turmeric and ginger, cook over medium heat stirring for 5-6 minutes or until the onion is soft.

Add the chickpeas and tomatoes. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Take about half the mixture and put into a large bowl and mash slightly, return to pan, add spinach and coriander and cook until wilted.

Malaysian Fish Curry

Serves 4-6

750 g white fish
3 tbs shredded coconut
vegetable oil
1 piece fresh
ginger 1in/2.5 cm long, peeled and thinly sliced
2 small red chillies (maybe less)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbs lemon grass
1 tbs fish sauce
400 g canned coconut milk
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/2 tsp turmeric
3 tsb palm sugar
juice of 1 lime

Cut the fish into large chunks, season with salt and pepper. Dry-fry the shredded coconut in a large wok until evenly brown.

Add the vegetable oil, ginger, chillies, garlic and lemon grass and fry briefly. Stir in the fish sauce and about half of the coconut milk.

Add the chicken stock, turmeric, sugar and the lime juice.

Simmer for about 10 minutes.

Add the fish and simmer for 6-8 minutes or until cooked.

Stir in the remainder of the coconut milk and heat through.

Serve with rice.

Mussaman Beef Curry - Version 1

Serves 4-6

2 1/2 cups coconut milk
700 g stewing beef cut into large cubes
1 cup coconut cream
3 tbs Mussaman curry paste
2 tbs fish sauce
1 tbs palm sugar
4 tbs tamarind juice (used the paste - but go easy it can be sharp)
6 cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick
225 g potatoes, cut into even-size
chunks (1 partly cook them)
1 onion, cut into wedges
50 g roasted peanuts (optional)

Bring the coconut milk to a gentle boil in a large saucepan. Add the beef and simmer until tender depending on cut of meat could be an hour or more.

Put the coconut cream into a small saucepan and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly until it separates. Add the mussaman curry paste and fry until fragrant. Now add the fried curry paste to the pan containing the cooked beef.

Add the fish sauce, sugar, tamarind, cardamon pods, cinnamon stick, potato chunks and onion wedges. Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked.

Add the roasted peanuts if using. Cook for a further 5 minutes.

Serve with boiled rice.

NOTE: BEST MADE THE DAY BEFORE SERVING

Beef Vindaloo

Serves 4

Oil
2lb (1 kg) chuck, blade steak cut into large cubes
3 onions sliced
3 tsp grated fresh ginger
1cinnamon stick
1/3 cup brown vinegar
1/2 cup beef stock
1 tsp sugar

Spice Mix

1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tbs coriander seeds
1/2 tsp cardamom seeds
1 tsp ground fenugreek
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp mustard powder

Heat the oil, cook meat in batches until brown, set aside.

To make the spice mix, place all the ingredients in food processor and process until finely ground.

Add the onion, ginger, garlic and cinnamon to pan and stir over low heat until the onion is soft. Add the spice mix and steak and stir until the meat is coated. Add the vinegar, stock, sugar and some pepper. Cook, covered over low heat for one and a half hour, or until the meat is tender.

Discard the cinnamon and serve with rice.

Beef Rendang

Serves 4

2 medium red onions, chopped finely
4 cloves garlic, peeled
4 fresh red
Thai chillies (or maybe a lot less)
4cm piece fresh ginger, grated
10 g lemon grass
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp ground coriander
410 ml coconut milk
1 kg beef blade steak, cut into 3 cm cubes
1 cinnamon stick
1 tbs thick tamarind concentrate
8 curry leaves
1 tsp sugar

Blend or process onion, garlic, chillies, ginger, lemon grass, turmeric and coriander with 1/3 cup of the coconut milk until smooth.

Combine beef, coconut mixture, remaining coconut milk, cinnamon stick, tamarind concentrate and curry leaves in large saucepan, uncovered for about one and a half hour, stirring occasionally, or until beef is tender.

Add sugar, cook stirring about 15 minutes or until beef is dark and most of the sauce has evaporated.

NOTE; This recipe is best made a day ahead and refrigerated, covered.

Thai Green Chicken Curry

(Serves 4)

2 cups coconut milk
oil1 onion, chopped
2 tbs green curry paste
500 g chicken thigh fillets, or breast
4 kaffir lime leaves (if leaves are dried soak in boiling water)
1 tbs fish sauce
1 tbs lime juice
(add more fish sauce or lime juice until the balance is right - sweet, salty, tart)
1tsp grated lime rind
1 tbs palm sugar

In a small pan, bring the coconut milk to the boil and cook over high heat for about 10 minutes, or until small bubbles of oil begin to crack the surface of the milk.

Heat oil in wok. Add the onion and curry paste and cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes or until the spices are fragrant. Add the chicken and stir fry for 5 minutes.

Pour in the coconut milk, lime leaves and 1/4 cup of water and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat and simmer the curry to 10 minutes or until the chicken is tender.
Stir in the fish sauce, lime juice, lime rind and palm sugar.

Serve with boiled rice. You can add vegetables to curry if you like.

Indian cauliflower with mustard seeds

Serves 6 as side dish

Oil
1 tbs cumin seeds
1 tbs mustard seeds
1 tsp ground turmeric
chilli powder if you want
1 kg cauliflower, cut into small florets
Yogurt
juice of 1/2 lemon
cooked frozen peas
coriander leaves (lots of)

Cook the cauliflower until almost done.

Heat oil in wok, add the cumin seeds and mustard seeds. Cook, tossing, for 1 minute, or until the mustard seeds start to pop. Stir in turmeric and chilli powder.

Add the cauliflower and cooked peas and toss to coat in the spice mix, stir gently and cook until the cauliflower and peas are heated through.

Add yoghurt and lemon juice. Toss to coat. Toss in coriander and serve immediately.